11 Potluck Recipes That Need 7 Ingredients or Less

You know that sinking feeling when you realize you volunteered to bring something to the potluck and you’re standing in your kitchen at 9 PM with absolutely no game plan?

We’ve all been there—frantically scrolling through complex recipes that require a grocery store run and three hours of prep time you simply don’t have.

But here’s the thing: the best potluck dishes aren’t always the ones with the longest ingredient lists.

They’re the ones that disappear first, have people asking for the recipe, and make you look like a kitchen superstar without breaking a sweat.

These 11 recipes prove that you can create crowd-pleasing dishes using just a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

From creamy dips that vanish in minutes to hearty casseroles that feed a crowd, each recipe delivers maximum flavor with minimal fuss.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This crowd-pleasing dip combines just six ingredients to create something that’ll have people hovering around the table all night.

The secret is using rotisserie chicken to save time and cream cheese to make it impossibly smooth.

Ingredients:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch dressing in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Stir in shredded chicken and 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese.
4. Transfer to a greased 9×13 baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
6. Garnish with green onions and serve with tortilla chips.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

All the flavors of a loaded baked potato in casserole form—this dish serves a crowd and travels beautifully. The key is using frozen hash browns to skip the potato prep entirely.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen hash browns, thawed
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Combine hash browns, sour cream, soup, 1 1/2 cups cheese, bacon, and melted butter.
3. Spread mixture in prepared dish and top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and bubbly.
5. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Bacon Ranch Pinwheels

These bite-sized appetizers look fancy but take minutes to assemble. The combination of cream cheese, ranch, and bacon wrapped in a tortilla creates the perfect party food.

Get the recipe here.

Taco Pasta Salad

This hearty salad combines the best of taco night with the convenience of pasta salad.

It’s filling enough to be a main dish and gets better as it sits.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta shells, cooked and cooled
• 1 lb ground beef, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 1 head lettuce, chopped

Instructions:

1. Cook ground beef and season with taco seasoning according to package directions.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, seasoned beef, cheese, and tomatoes.
3. Add ranch dressing and toss to coat.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Add lettuce just before serving to keep it crisp.

Sausage and Peppers Sheet Pan

This one-pan wonder delivers restaurant-quality flavor with almost zero cleanup.

The key is using Italian sausages and letting the oven do all the work.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Italian sausages
• 3 bell peppers, sliced
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These rich, fudgy bars require no baking and taste like a cross between a Reese’s cup and a brownie.

They’re perfect for potlucks because they slice cleanly and travel well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter, divided
• 1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix melted butter, powdered sugar, 3/4 cup peanut butter, and crushed graham crackers.
3. Press mixture into prepared pan.
4. Melt chocolate chips with cream and remaining peanut butter.
5. Pour chocolate mixture over crust and spread evenly.
6. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into bars.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

This comforting side dish combines rice, broccoli, and cheese into one satisfying casserole.

Using frozen broccoli and instant rice makes it incredibly quick to assemble.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups instant rice, cooked
• 1 bag frozen broccoli, thawed
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Cook rice according to package directions.
3. Mix rice, broccoli, soup, 1 1/2 cups cheese, milk, and butter.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer to prepared dish and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This hands-off recipe produces tender, flavorful pulled pork that feeds a crowd.

Just dump everything in the slow cooker and let it work its magic.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs pork shoulder
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Hamburger buns for serving

Instructions:

1. Place pork shoulder in slow cooker.
2. Mix barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Pour sauce over pork and add sliced onion.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
5. Shred pork with two forks and mix with cooking liquid.
6. Serve on hamburger buns with extra sauce.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Bread

This impressive-looking appetizer is surprisingly simple to make. A hollowed-out bread loaf becomes the perfect vessel for creamy spinach artichoke dip.

Ingredients:

• 1 round sourdough bread loaf
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut top off bread and hollow out center, saving bread pieces.
3. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, 3/4 cup mozzarella, spinach, artichokes, and garlic.
4. Fill bread bowl with mixture and top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
6. Serve with reserved bread pieces and crackers.

Lemon Garlic Roasted Vegetables

These colorful roasted vegetables are a healthy side that actually tastes amazing.

The lemon and garlic brighten up any mix of vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested
• 1 tsp dried herbs (thyme or rosemary)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces.
3. Toss vegetables with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, zest, and herbs.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread on a large sheet pan in a single layer.
6. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.

Honey Garlic Meatballs

These glazed meatballs are always a hit at parties.

Using frozen meatballs saves time, while the honey garlic sauce makes them irresistible.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen meatballs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Cook meatballs according to package directions.
2. In a large skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, and garlic.
3. Mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
4. Add cornstarch mixture to skillet and bring to a boil.
5. Add cooked meatballs and toss to coat.
6. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
7. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.

The beauty of these recipes lies in their simplicity—each one proves that you don’t need a pantry full of exotic ingredients to create something memorable.

Whether you’re feeding a small gathering or a large crowd, these dishes deliver the kind of comfort food satisfaction that makes potlucks special.

Next time you’re asked to bring something, skip the stress and choose one of these tried-and-true winners.

Your fellow potluckers will thank you.